The Golden Boy
by RayWest1982
Summary: Dick Grayson, the golden boy that always smiles. But, what's behind the smile? This story will just find out. /DC Comics owns all of the characters, slight slash
1. Behind The Smile

Behind the Smile

Richard John Grayson, the golden boy. He was the glue that held the Bat Family together. He was the one that everyone could turn to when they had a problem. Hell, even Bruce and Alfred came to him. He had been there pretty much since that start. Bruce had only been Batman a few years before Dick came into the picture as Robin.

Bruce could relate to the first Robin. Not only had they both lost their parents to murder, they had been there and witness it. It was because of that fact Bruce allowed Dick to become his sidekick, which involved into a partnership, then to where they were a family. Dick was his first son, though Bruce didn't official adopt him until after the male was already an adult. All those years of being his ward, the reason Bruce never actually adopted him was because he didn't want to repeat John and Mary Grayson.

When Dick became Nightwing, their family grew but one. Jason Todd, the second boy wonder. Jason had looked up to the first, wanting his approval as much as Bruce's, maybe even more. He was there when Jason needed advice, needed anything. It had destroyed Dick when Jason had died, he was destroyed when Jason came back and was so different from before. But even after that, Jason still turned to Dick when things got out of hand, knowing that his older brother was always there for him.

The family grew again when Tim Drake took up the mantle of Robin. Tim had looked up to Dick since childhood. He was a fan since the Flying Graysons days, and he remained one while he was Robin. He would come to Dick about relationships and about Bruce, seeing as he had grown colder over the years due to all that had happened. Just like Jason, Tim could count on Dick to be there for him.

Now the family wasn't just male. The first female member was Barbara Gordon, the first Batgirl. It started out rough for Barbara and Dick, they were always attacking each other with passion, until that passion turned into just passion. They grew up together, fallen in love and made love. Barbara told Dick everything, even after they had broken up and she began to feel things for Bruce. They had been together too long for them to go their separate ways.

The second Batgirl, Cassandra Cain, didn't speak much. She wasn't mute, just lacked the skill. But her actions spoke volumes, and Dick seemed to be the only one to understand. He helped Alfred with her lessons to speak along with other things, but she still preferred to be quiet. And Dick still understood.

Now the third Batgirl and fourth Robin, Stephanie Brown, was much more like himself. That girl knew how to smile past the pain. She knew what she was doing and what she was doing it for. But that didn't mean she didn't have times that she couldn't turn to Tim for. That's where the golden boy stepped in. He helped her through things that he had to help himself. He was there through the break up. He was never leaving.

The final addition was the demon child himself, Damian al Ghul Wayne, the fifth Robin and so unlike the rest of them. Dick was actually the one to give him the mantle of Robin while he was wearing the cowl. Though Damian would never admit it, Dick had became the father that Bruce could never be. He was the brother that neither Tim or Jason could be. Even though Damian said otherwise, there was nothing wrong with Dick Grayson; the man who taught the child of loathe to love.

To the family's butler, Alfred Pennyworth, Dick was highly thought of. The first ward of Bruce Wayne had treated Alfred like a beloved family member, not a Butler. In many ways, Alfred felt as if he were a grandfather to the boy. Dick would listen to his stories of his past, help him out with the choruses and the other family members.

The one thing the whole Bat Family loved about Dick Grayson was his smile. His overly happy, slightly goofy, smile. It was usually on the male's lips, even in the darkest of times. He was their ray of light. He was the golden boy.

But there was a side that they never truly saw. The darker side to the golden boy. The side that was there when he would actually be deadly serious. The side that was there when he got into an argument. The side that was there when he left Bruce on worse than bad terms. The side that was there when Jason was killed. The side that everyone saw, but never paid attention to.

No one was there for Dick. He was alone in his dark world. He tried reaching out, but they weren't paying attention to his needs. It got to the point where Dick couldn't burden them with his problems. He kept his dark side under lock and key for years. But it kept building up. Slowly taking of his life.

The Bat Family didn't noticed. They didn't notice the scars that weren't from battles. They didn't notice the carelessness with who he slept with. They didn't notice how his life style got messier. There were so many signs, and they didn't notice. And it just wasn't the Bat Family. The Titans didn't noticed either. Everyone that was close to him, they didn't noticed.

They didn't even realize the signs when Dick disappeared from their lives completely. He left just after Damian turned eleven. _Just_ after he turned eleven. It hit midnight, it wasn't Damian's birthday anymore and Dick was gone. He was out of Gotham, no where to be found in Blüdhaven. Bruce couldn't find a trace of him anywhere. The Titans couldn't find him. No one could, and that's just how he wanted it.


	2. Back To The Past

Back To The Past

_Seven years later_

Bruce had finally found a lead on Dick Grayson, _finally_. The past seven years had been rough on the family. Barbara had completely dropped out. She didn't want to live in the past anymore, and Dick was her past. She was done with the Bat Family, done with the Birds of Prey. But she hadn't disappeared completely. She would come over from time to time, especially on birthdays and holidays. Without Barbara as Oracle, things have been slipping past both teams she left behind. Multiple times Bruce and Dinah have came to her, asking for her help, but it was useless. Damian was the only one that ever voiced what she was doing. _"At least Grayson had the decency to leave when he wanted nothing to do with us anymore!" _He had yelled at her one night.

Damian was taking it the hardest. Grayson had been so much to him, and he just left without a word. Left right after his birthday. Damian just wanted to punch him in the face, but as the years went on, he just wanted his childhood crush back. It took him a while to realize that, took him even longer to admit it to himself that's what Dick was to him.

The once boy, now a man, was at least to say ecstatic when Bruce had found a lead on Dick. Seven years had been too long. Damian wanted to feel Dick's arms around him again, telling him everything was going to be okay. He just wanted Grayson back.

"So, where is he?" Tim Drake asked as he walked into the cave with Conner Kent, it was no secret that Tim had turned to the clone during his time in need. It had soon turned into something much more than just friendship, so much more.

Jason Todd was leading against the desk as Bruce brought up the lead. His teal eyes widen when he saw what it was. "No way! He's back there? You would think he was done with his past when he left."

Bruce just sighed, but before he could say anything, Damian spoke. "He wasn't done with his past, Todd, just us." It was clear to everyone what Damian felt. Over the years, his ice had melted and he learned to show emotion more. Though he was still a bastard at times, especially when it comes to the one that had wounded him so deeply.

The lead was simple, Haly's Circus. "I shouldn't be surprise. Dick would show signs of how he missed his life before his parents had died. He was going under an alias for years; Dan Danger. He just fit in with the replacement family Mr. Haly had." Bruce said as he just looked at the computer screen. How could he have missed that? Of course Dick would go back to the circus! He never truly left. Most of his fighting style was based on his acrobatic upbringing. He used to always walk around the cave on his hands for Pete's sake!

Bruce wasn't going to admit it, but he was slipping before Barbara left. He started with Dick left him again. It was different than the first time. There wasn't a fight, and he couldn't, obviously, find him anywhere. But, why now? Why has Dick decided he wanted to be found? What has happened.

It was simple what had happened. Just as Damian had realized his crush on Dick, Dick had realized he felt more than just brotherly love for Damian. He found out during one night at the circus when the Danger's eldest son had made a move on him. Mike had just planted his lips on Dick's out of no where, and his mind flashed to Damian. The boy he had loved. He missed out on seven years of his life, just because Dick couldn't handle his darker side.

It stabbed him like a cold knife in his heart when he realized that Damian was no longer a boy, he was an adult now. Eighteen years old, officially legal. _Finally._ But Dick didn't want to go rushing back to them, he didn't even have the slightest urge to do that. If they wanted him back, he'll allow himself to be found. Though honestly, he was surprised that hadn't found him before then. It's not like he hid away in the Arctic or anything like that. He went back to Haly's Circus. He thought that they would have checked there when they couldn't find him in either Gotham or Blüdhaven. But they hadn't. Sometimes it caused him to wonder, did they even want him back?

Dick sighed as he walked through the Circus tents. He was going to do his last few shows as Richard Grayson. A solo act. The Dangers were good, but they _always_ used a net. He didn't know why, but after a while, that he started to annoy him. If they were that afraid of falling, then they shouldn't be acrobats. It took him a while to realize that it was his upbringing that made him think that way. He rarely ever used a net while a child, then he was out fighting crime, jumping across buildings where there wasn't going to be nets to catch him if he fell. He needed to feel that rush.

Now, Dick never truly gave up being Nightwing. He still had his costume with him, it's just no one ever actually thought it was the real Nightwing. His hair was longer, and messier, and he also always had some form of facial hair. It was never a fully a beard or mustache, it was mostly stubble, sometimes a bit more. He had a goatee for a while. He never realized how much he liked some form of facial hair until he stopped shaving. And it looked _damn_ good on him. His jet black hair on his head was also on his face. It highlighted his facial features more. His face was thin, his jawline sharp and it made his skin look slightly paler, but that's to all of the time working out in the sun, Dick had a slight tan.

It all just worked for him, but the most important thing that the stubble helped with was bringing out his steel blue eyes. It made them brighter, but added to the eeriness of him. His hair was so dark and yet his eyes were so bright, but it seemed like his eyes would steal sometime from you. They didn't have the inner happiness that they used too. His pain showed through. The pain of watching his parents fall to their deaths, of accidentally killing then being taken advantaged of. The pain that no was there when he needed them. He just couldn't mask it anymore, nor did he want to. The only mask he would wear was his Nightwing one.

So when Dick did smile, it was true. Nothing was fake from him anymore. But it's not like everything had changed about him. He was still there for the people of Haly's Circus, but unlike the Bat Family and the Titans, they were there for him too. Though Dick just couldn't tell them everything, like about his double life as a hero. But there was one person he could tell; Mr. Haly.

There was no fooling that man, he knew a Flying Grayson when he saw one. All of those years of Dick being Robin, then Nightwing, even the short time that he was Batman, he knew. There was no fooling the old man, and Dick stopped trying to. Mr. Haly became like a grandfather to Dick, which his son didn't like at all. Bryan Haly was jealous of Dick's relationship with his father, often scared that his father was going to give the deed to the circus instead of himself. And if it wasn't for Dick's size and muscles, he would have fought to male by now.

"Dick," Mr. Haly called the male out of his thoughts. "Are you sure you want to go through with it?" Referring to resuming the Flying Graysons, well Flying Grayson now.

"I'm sure, and please Mr. Haly, I told you to just call me Richard now." He said softly. He stopped going by Dick a long time ago.

The older man chuckled softly and shook his slightly bald head. "Now, we both know that isn't going to happen. Just accept it, you are Dick Grayson. Just going by Richard isn't going to change the past." He said then repeat, "You are Dick Grayson."

There seriously was no arguing with that man. Dick halfheartedly laughed. "Fine fine, I see your point." He said then scratched his stubble on his chin.

"Are you ever going to actually grow a beard?" Lynda Danger asked as she came into the room. She was the second oldest child of the Dangers, Mike being the oldest. "If not, at least bring back the goatee, that was sexy." She smiled and winked at him.

Lynda seemed like the type that Dick would have taken to bed right away. She had long red hair, and blight green eyes. Freckles danced across her cheeks softly. And she was clearly interested in him, just like her brother was. That was another reason Dick wanted to go solo, the Danger's oldest children were getting to attracted to him for his liking.

"I'm not going to grow an actual beard, and with that sexy comment, I'm not bringing back the goatee either." Dick said. He didn't want to attract her to him more. Over the past seven years, Dick has lost his interest in both sexes. Some joked that he was asexual now, but he preferred to think of it that he didn't want to be a man whore anymore. Sleeping around just wasn't as fun as it used to be to him. Sex just wasn't what he wanted. It was emotionless, pointless. And he didn't need it.

"Alright you two, enough slacking off. We have to set up for tonight. Baltimore is a city that doesn't disappoint, so we aren't going to disappoint them, understand?" Mr. Haly said, then left when they both nodded. He had other things to do.

Once they were alone, Lynda moved closer to Dick. "Why are you so cold to me? I thought I was just your type." She said softly, obviously have been asking the older members what kind of girls Dick was interested in.

An annoyed groan escaped from Dick's lips. "It's called I'm not interested in you or your brother. Why can't you just leave me alone?" He asked, his eyes turning to ice. He just wanted to set up for the show then begin practicing. Flying along the trapezes seemed to be one of the only things that could make him happy anymore. So much for being the happy golden boy.

The female took a step back from his icy glare. "Can you blame a girl for trying? Especially when you used to sleep with everyone that came up to you..." She sighed softly. "I, I don't mean it like that. It's good that you've changed your ways when it comes to sex. I'll stop pushing you." She just looked up at him sadly.

"Thank you," was all he said. Glad to have at least one of the Dangers off of his case.

"Good luck tonight," she said then left Dick alone. They needed to set up for tonight.

All of the Bat boys, including Alfred, just barely arrived in Maryland in time to see Haly's Circus for the night. They weren't going to wait any longer for bring Dick back. Also, as Conner had suggested to them all, they needed a vacation as well. Might as well enjoy the Circus before claiming Dick as their own again.

This was a first for Jason and Damian, neither of them had seen Haly's Circus before. Tim had told them all about it during their flight down, remembering it all from when he was a child. Bruce would even chine in from time to time about when he had saw it. Needless to say, they all were excited for it again.

Haly's Circus definitely wasn't a disappointment either. The grounds were full of games, rides, magic and side shows. They hit as many as they could before the final show started. Tim just relived his childhood while Jason pigged out on cotton candy. Damian was just taking it all in. No wonder Dick had came back. The Circus just seemed wonderful. He honestly wouldn't mind having a life like that. It was more dangerous that people seem to realize. They had performers _locked_ in cages with tigers and loins! Performers just walked around, swallowing swords and fire as if everyone could do it, not worrying if someone bumped into them that it was the end of their life.

And the fortune tellers were very good, though they all had their doubts, making notes in their heads to ask Zatanna about fortune tellers and the "magic" they had seen. But they didn't let that dull the experience for them.

They all got their snacks and drinks then headed to the main tent for the final performance of the night. Mr. Haly was out there, taking people's tickets. The old man was shocked when he saw Bruce, also slightly worried. Dick had clearly wanted to get away from him and the rest of the family. What should he do? Deny them from going in or let them come in? He knew what he wanted to do, let them come in. Not just because he wanted them to enjoy the show, but because he knew it was time for Dick to go back to them.

"Mr. Wayne, long time no see," he said to the billionaire with a smile.

Bruce returned the smile. "Yes, it has been a long time. I must say, you're circus is still amazing as it had been all those years ago. Probably better." He said honestly.

"Thank you, but don't think you can fool me. You're here for Dick, not the circus."

Damian was about to say something rude but Alfred had placed his hand over his mouth and replied for him. "You are correct, sir, though that doesn't change our opinion." He said in his polite British accent.

The ringmaster nodded. "I won't stop you, I think it's high time Dick went back to his actual life. He's just not a circus boy anymore." He said, obviously sadden by the thought.

The conversation just died there, no one knew what else to say. So, Haly just took their tickets and they went inside the big tent then found a place for them all to sit together. It was packed in there, some people had came back to watch the show over again.

It had been five minutes since they had gotten in there when the show began. The spot light was on Mr. Haly. And they were in for a treat.


	3. The Flying Grayson

The Flying Grayson

The Ringmaster's voice boomed through out the tent, Mr. Haly truly knowing how to project his voice. He had no microphone helping him, it was all from his years of experience. "Ladies and Gentlemen," He bellowed. "You are in for a treat tonight. An act that was believed to have been ended many years ago has come back to life! But all good things in due time. Firstly, we have our little kittens to watch." And with that, he left the center.

He was replaced but the _little kittens._ There was nothing little about these big cats, and they were no way kittens. They were fully grown. Gunther and Gurbel were introduced by their tamers. They weren't the tigers that were seen outside, and they looked ten times deadlier. The ring was set up with barrels for the tigers to sit on while the tamers lit the rings they would be jumping through.

"Gunther will be jumping through these rings of fire," the female said, ignoring the fact the crowd doesn't know name. She does so since the stars of the performance are the tigers, not her or her husband. She turned to the tiger and started giving him commands in Russian.

Gunther got off of his barrel and walked around the ring, circling the humans. He looked as if he was about to attack his prey, his head down low, kneading the ground under his big and powerful paws. A soft growl amidst from his throat as his tail swings slowly from side to side. The animal was blood thirsty, it looked as if the show was going to end early because Gunther wanted to eat instead of perform.

The crowd gasped as the tiger roared and launched himself into the air. Surely he was going to take off the female's head. But he just jumped through the flaming ring. He started to run when he landed, the tiger's speed was great and it didn't slow down as he jumped through the fire rings. Soon, he would spin as he jumped through.

"Now, Gurbel will be joining his brother." The husband said, then turned to the tiger and gave the command in Russian.

Gurbel started out the same way that his brother had, looking like he was going to kill. Then he began jumping through the rings, but going in the opposite direction than Gunther. If the timing wasn't right, they could smack right into each other while running, or even worse, while jumping through the flaming rings.

The circus was indeed a dangerous place. The realization came to Jason and Damian. Jason regretted when he made fun of Dick for being a circus kid. It wasn't as easy and carefree as he thought. There was no way it could be. It also solved why Dick was so punctual, everything was about timing. If you were off by a split second, you could be dead.

It amazed Damian that so much of Dick's fighting style and skill actually came from the circus. It was like how some football players did ballet, it helped a lot. There was so much to learn from them. All of which Dick tried to teach him, but he was just too stubborn, believing he had already learned everything that he needed from his mother's training. He takes it back, he wants to learn now.

The tiger show soon changed to where they were completely jumping over the flaming rings. It made Bruce wonder just how much training had gone into this. The tigers are clearly still dangerous. Then they did something that shocked everyone. The couple had gotten on the tigers, and rode that as they jumped over the flaming hoops. That took trust between the tamers and the tigers. It was a simple conclusion to Bruce. It was _years _of training to form a bold like that.

"And to think, that was just only the opening act." Alfred spoke softly, clearly impressed by the performance, as the tigers and the tamers left the ring.

Mr. Haly came back out to introduced the next act. "Now, don't get confused with our next act! We have a lot going on. And please don't confuse our dear clown with Gotham's clown. We assure you that he was dressing like that first!" The clown comment had the Bat Family looking at each other nervously.

Bruce and Tim had forgot about the clown looking so much like the Joker. Then they just looked at Jason. They again assured him that it wasn't Joker so he wouldn't go running towards the ring, trying to kill the man. Though, they all still had it back in their minds, _what if it's actually Joker?_ But when Harry, the clown's actual name, came out, it was easy to tell that he wasn't actually Joker. Their built were different and he was clearly wearing a green wig. A soft exhale of relief could be heard from each of them,

Harry began to do silly things while the juggles threw bowling pins up in the air to each other. It seemed like a typically thing to do, until Harry "accidentally" bumped into one of them and caused the juggling to cease. The bowling pins were then thrown at the clown as he ran away. Earning a laugh from the crowd.

Harry was replaced with Elinore, the elephant. She brought with her a chest and placed it down by the jugglers. They were through the chest and took out chainsaws. The tent roared with the chainsaws coming a live then they were thrown in the air between the two men. Again, the circus is dangerous. Easily one of them could be killed if not careful, if their timing was off.

The elephant stood there for a moment before Harry popped out from behind her ear. He continued his silliness while standing on top of Elinore, he walked across her back as she walked around the ring. Acrobats weren't the only ones that needed to know about balance.

That was truly demonstrated when Elinore, the elephant, had stepped on a the ball that she was holding with her trunk and balanced on it perfectly. Most people couldn't even balance on a ball, but here an elephant was doing it. It made Tim wonder how many people, mainly kids, were going to go home and try to balance on a ball.

"That explains the stuffed elephant Dick has." Damian muttered softly, thinking back to the times Dick had often his stuff elephant to Damian when he was feeling down.

Jason chuckled. "Yeah, what's it's name? Zitka or Zikta, something like that."

"This is a different elephant from the one when Dick was a kid." Bruce said, remembering the elephant from all those years ago was the stereotypical gray, and this one is more of a brownish-red.

Tim studied the elephant more. "Yeah, you're right. I guess the other must had died," he said a bit sadly. The acrobat had obviously loved that elephant.

The ring then cleared out and again, Mr. Haly came out to announce the next act. It was the Dangers and their acrobatics. Both Tim and Bruce had looked up and saw the net. It relieved them to see it. The last time they were at Haly's Circus, they had witness John and Mary Grayson's death. No one wanted that to happen again.

When the Dangers going on the platforms, Mr. Haly remained where he was and introduced them all. They each took to the trapezes when their name was said. "Rodney Danger, Emily Danger." The father and mother. "Mike Danger, Lynda Danger." The eldest that crushed on Dick. "Corey Danger and Matt Danger." Were the younger twins. There was a middle child, Anna, but she was never all that good at acrobatics so she was always paired with Dan, aka Dick. Anna and Dick just watched the Dangers' performance.

Their acrobatics were great, but it just didn't give the same feeling as danger as the rest of the night had, ironic since their last name is Danger. But after what happened to the Graysons, it was unheard of to perform on the trapeze without a net anymore. It just doesn't happen anymore.

The show was amazing anyways, despite the net. When the Dangers exited, people began to stand up, thinking that the show was over. The Bat Family began to wonder if Dick had decided to ditch after Mr. Haly told them they were here, assuming that the ring master had done such a thing.

"Whoa now! Where do you all think you're going? The show isn't over just yet!" Mr. Haly yelled out. The Dangers were in the process of taking down the net. What other show could be left?

Bruce and Tim knew, and it had scared them. Dick was going to perform, and perform without a net. It set them both on edge, even Alfred was on edge. What if Dick just repeated what happened to his parents? They had finally found him again, so close to having him back into their lives, and just one slip up, they would lose him forever. It just couldn't happen. They needed to put that net back up and they needed to do it _now_!

"In honor of the late John and Mary Grayson, their son Dick Grayson will be perform. He is The Flying Grayson, performing without a net! Baltimore, you are in for a treat."

And a treat it was. Dick had even wore the uniform, also the based of the original Robin uniform. His yellow cape flew behind him as he went from trapeze to trapeze, the collar of it manage to stay up some how. The red vest fit snug to his obviously tone body. The only difference was, he wore actual tights to cover his legs. Though there's a less chance of the bar slipping from his legs when his bare skin it locked around it.

But Dick didn't slip at all. His solo performance was the best thing anyone had ever seen in their life. Those that were confused understood why he was the Flying Grayson. He truly looked like he was flying. No one believed he would fall, and if he had, they were sure he was actually just going to start flying like Superman.

Dick felt amazing doing this again, though it sadden him that it was Flying Grayson now instead of Flying Grayson_s_. But he didn't let it affect his performance. He was doing this for himself, and more importantly, he was doing this for his parents. He wasn't going to let people for get about them. They will live on, and they will live on in his acrobatics. He may not stay an acrobat much longer, but he hoped to inspire other acrobats to fly, to be without a net. That's all he wanted.


	4. Whole Again

Whole Again

While Dick had been flying through the air, Anna had gone over to Bruce and the others on request. She let them enjoy the amazing show and even watched it herself, knowing that tonight was probable the last time she'll ever get to see this. Dick was going back to them, where he belonged. And Anna knew that, as much as it sadden her to lose Dick. He had become her brother, sometimes she would forget that he actually wasn't Dan Danger. They were there for each other, more so than the rest of her family. She was truly going to miss him.

Once Dick had left the trapeze, she turned towards the males. "Da-erm-Dick wants you to follow me. To go backstage, I guess you would call it. Mr. Haly has already approved of it." She said softly to them. She couldn't help but to notice how much they all looked so much alike, even though only two of them were actually related. Ironic how that had seemed to work out. All but one has blue bright blue eyes, the other had teal colored eyes while Dick's were a grayish blue. She wasn't quite sure how to describe his eyes.

The males agreed, but waited until the tent had cleared out some so none of them would get separated. Anna had auburn hair that went down to her mid back and dark green eyes. The gents couldn't help but to wonder what Dick's relationship was with her, not knowing that Dick had given up on having a love lift, or anything kind of imitate relationship. There was a reason that people believed he was asexual.

The tent had cleared out enough that no one would get separated, so they headed on back where all of the performers were at. Anna was the only one that wasn't looking around for Dick, knowing that he would be in his tent. She led them there and opened the flap for them, but didn't go in.

When they had entered, they finally saw just how much Dick had changed over the years. His black bangs slightly covered over his eyes, there was a tint of a tan to his skin, he had a definite five o'clock shadow going on his lean face, but what stuck out were his eyes and lips. His eyes didn't show the happiness that had always been there before, and there was no smile playing across his lips, not even when he saw them. He just remained blank, unreadable to even Bruce.

Damian took a step towards Dick, but he didn't move anymore. He wasn't going to rush over to him. Even though Dick didn't know it, he had broken Damian's heart. He just couldn't get the courage to go over to him.

Tim, on the other hand, did rush over to Dick and threw his arms around him in a hug. "Dick!" He cried, and he actually cried. So many emotions had welled up inside of him while watching Dick on the trapezes. He didn't know how to voice any of them, there was just too many for words.

But Dick understood the hug and wrapped his arms around Tim, returning the hug. "Hey, Timmy. I missed you too." He said softly and placed a kiss on the younger male's forehead. Even after none of them being there for him, even after he disappeared from their lives, he was willing to be their support and comfort again. Even though they needed support and comfort from him leaving out of no where.

Alfred was the next to join the hug. He wasn't an emotionless butler as everyone just assumed. Dick was like a grandson to him and he missed him dearly. "Master Dick, it is so good to see you again." He said as he hugged the two black hair males, seeing as Tim refused to let go of Dick just yet.

Dick smiled softly at Alfred. "It's good to see you too, Alfie." He said then slipped an arm around the old man.

Jealousy pulsed through Damian. He wanted to hug Dick, he wanted his arms around him. He wanted to hear Grayson say that he missed him too. Why did Drake have to hog him? Why did Pennyworth decide to show his emotions now instead of later? Why didn't he just have the guts to rush to Dick first.

Jason was next, tugging Tim off of Dick once Alfred let go. "Okay, restaurant, your turn is up." He muttered, annoyed. He then looked to Dick, allowing the older to stand up before giving him a man hug. Which was just a quick hug with a pat on the back. Dick returned it. "Missed you, Dickie Bird. Do some shit like this again, and I'm blowing your head off." That was Jason for; _I really missed you, Dick. Please don't ever do that again._

Dick got the message loud and clear, and it caused him to chuckle. "Rather not have a bullet in my head, Jay."

"I didn't say I was going to put a bullet in your head. I said I was going to blow it off, boom!" Jason grinned wickedly at the man he was jokingly threatening.

Dick just laughed and it caused Damian to get more jealous. Jason was making him laugh by threatening him! It was absurd! And while he let that affect him, Bruce went over and patted Dick on the shoulder before pulling him in for a hug.

That had shocked everyone. Bruce pulled Dick in for the hug, not the other way around. It just goes to show how much he had missed his first son. No words needed to be said between the two. Dick always knew by Bruce's actions what he wanted to say, especially when Bruce was too scared to say them. Batman needed him, Bruce needed him, and he hadn't been there. He just softly muttered sorry then they both pulled away.

All that was left was for Dick and Damian. They both had changed so much over the past seven years. Damian was now an adult. He wasn't the ten year old boy that Dick had helped raise anymore. Dick wasn't the overly gussy, happy-go-lucky person anymore. They just looked at each other for a moment before a flash of the old Dick was back. He was smiling at Damian and had his arms open. "Come on, kiddo. Give me a hug."

And instead of Damian just scoffing at him or insult him, he finally rushed into Dick's arms. He buried his face into the older man's chest and clung to him tightly. He didn't want this to be a dream. He didn't want to wake up and realize that Dick wasn't going to be there in his life. He needed Dick, he needed him more that anyone else did. This time around, he was going to make sure that he was there for Dick when he needed someone. It wasn't going to be one sided anymore.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Grayson." He muttered into the acrobat's chest, refusing more than Tim did to let go. And Dick didn't mind. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to hold Damian in his arms for seven years for make up for not seeing him go up. For not seeing him become an adult.

"I know, but you're still my kiddo and nothing you say will change that." He said then nuzzles his face into Damian's hair. It was still spiked up in the front like he used to have it, though it did reach down his neck a bit more. His face had lost all of its baby fat and had become lean and yet bold, a mix of Bruce and Talia. Damian was only a few inches shorter, but he was still growing. Dick wouldn't be surprised if Damian would be taller than him, and tall than Jason. He would probably end up being around Bruce's height.

"Come home," Damian said softly. It was still a demand though. He wasn't asking.

Dick couldn't help but to laugh softly. "I am, Dami. I'm coming home, and I won't leave you again."

They flew back to Gotham the next afternoon so Dick had time to say goodbye to everyone. There were tears in just about everyone's eyes, if they were rolling down their cheeks. It had been a good seven years, and they knew Dick would keep in touch just like he had before. Mr. Haly made Dick promise to be safe and joked about always using a net. That had earned a laugh from everyone.

The flight back was nice. Unlike how they usually had been. Bruce wasn't trying to do Wayne Enterprises' business, or Justice League business, not even Batman business. He just sat there, and talked with Alfred about how they are going to put a tracking device on Dick, which then just turned into joking around with each other.

Tim was like usual though, his nose stuck in a book. While Jason was eating his new addiction; cotton candy. He had gotten a crap ton from the circus before leaving. It made them all wonder which he loved more, bread or cotton candy. The world may never know.

It had seemed to Dick that Damian had grown out of his need to always be on his phone or some other sort of electrical device. Shockingly, Damian was asking him about the circus life. Clearly the trip had opened a new interest for him. Dick answered all of his questions, glad that Damian had taken an interest in it.

When they had returned to the mansion, Alfred went to the kitchen to prepare something for them to snack on before dinner. Cass, Steph and even Barbara were there to welcome Dick back. Cass just simply hugged Dick, while Steph hugged and kissed his cheek. Barbara, he had assume would had done the same as Steph, but she didn't. She simple just said welcome back, then wheeled herself away. It confused him, not knowing about her change since he left. He just figured that she was mad at her ex-boyfriend for leaving without a word still. Barbara had always been like that, staying mad until she got an apology. Though she left before he could apologize.

"Welcome home, Dick." Bruce said and placed a hand on Dick's shoulder.

Dick smiled at him. "It's good to be home," he said then looked to Damian. "Good to be back with loved ones."

Author's Note: I know my chapters are short, sorry. But I do update more than most other authors do, so I believe that should make up for the shortness of the chapters. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. I know it hasn't really contained anything for it to be Rated-M, but it will in the future, so I had just post in that rating from the get go.


	5. Facial Hair

Facial Hair

"So," Tim started as he pulled on his cape. "All of those 'fake' Nightwings were actually really you." He said as he looked at Dick.

"Yeah." He paused then raised an eyebrow at Tim as he pulled on his boots. "Fake?" Dick asked simply. He didn't know people had thought when he went out as Nightwing that he was a fake. It's not like he had changed his style or anything.

"TT." Damian scoffed then put on his mask, ready to go on patrol as Robin. "You have facial hair, no one thought it was really you." He muttered as he looked at Dick, who was now ready to go out. Nightwing still had stubble along his jaw and his hair still was messy, though he did get a slight hair cut so that his bangs were in his eyes anymore, but otherwise, it was still long.

"Seriously? Just because I had some stubble or a goatee, you all amused it was a fake Nightwing. Wow," he said then chuckled as he ran his fingers through his hair. In some people's eyes, Dick had let him self go by letting his hair get long and stopped shaving, but it wasn't like that to Damian. Dick had just cut his hair, it was obvious that he just preferred it longer now, and he was still shaving, otherwise he would have a beard instead of us stubble.

"You used to always be so clean shaven, what happened?" Tim asked.

But before Dick could reply, Jason walked in. "Because it's badass, restaurant."

"-TT- Are we going to patrol or just talk about Grayson's facial hair?" Robin asked, obviously annoyed with the conversation. It had been a week with Dick back and Tim just now decided to ask him about the facial.

Dick had just put on his Nightwing mask and just shrugged. "I don't really see what there's to talk about. I just grew out some facial hair, that's it. It's not like I bleached my hair or something." He kept his comment about it being none of their business to himself. They were his family, adopted or not. They were his family, whether they were there for him or not. He just had to remember that; they are his family.

"Nightwing is his own man, he can do as he wishes to his own body." A new voice said, it was Batman. Everyone turned to him. Batman had suggested that they all patrol Gotham together. Using the word together loosely. "Red Robin and Red Hood will patrol together, since Red Robin hasn't been here in a while, I leave it to you Hood to reintroduce him the area. You'll be taking the South." Batman said then turned away before either of the Reds could object. "Robin, you'll be doing the same for Nightwing to the North." This time he wasn't so lucky.

"I don't need to be reintroduced to Gotham, Batman. I have my own city to protect." Nightwing looked at his once mentor.

"You aren't going back to Blüdhaven until I know for sure that you can handle yourself." Was the Bat's argument, which just started an argument. During this time, Red Robin and Red Hood took the liberty to leave.

Nightwing groaned. "I can handle myself. I have ever since the day I became Nightwing, if not before then. And it's not like during the past seven years I haven't been doing anything. I've probably been more active than I have ever been in years!"

"No, you're been playing around on trapezes that is different than crime fighting."

"Get out of your damn Cave, Bruce." Nightwing snared. "I continued to be Nightwing and fighting crime as well. I haven't lost my touch. How about you actually form a bond with your son? I can see that you haven't done that at all over the years. I'm patrolling on my own, in my own city."

And with that, he was gone again. It was close to how Dick left the first time to become Nightwing. There was a big fight like that then he just stormed out. Bruce wondered if he had just ruined what they worked seven years for.

"What the hell, father?" Damian snapped, glaring through his mask at his father. "Dick _just_ came back and you get into a fight with him?" It was clear that he didn't want to lose the other male again.

Batman, Bruce, remained quiet for a few moments before sighing deeply. He did need to form a bond with his son, which means for him to show emotions. "I'm just worried about him. I worry about all of you, every night that you go on patrol. Even if I am with you, I worry."

"No need to worry, Master Bruce," Alfred said as he walked into the Cave. "I understand that it is natural for a father to worry about his sons, but they are all able to take care of themselves." He said politely.

Before Bruce was able to reply, Barbara radioed in as Oracle that Black Bat and Batgirl need some help. They had went out of patrol before the males did, and were now out numbered by Killer Croc and Two-Face's men. The discussion was going to have to wait until later. Batman just left without another word, not waiting for Robin to get into the Bat-mobile.

Robin just stood there for a moment, what was he supposed to do now? Alfred had that answer. "Go after Master Richard before we lose him for another seven years." The old man said then went back up to the manor.

It took close to two hours before Robin was able to find Nightwing, in Blüdhaven. The elder had just finished taking down a drug importing. He was radioing in for the police to take the men to jail when Robin swung down. They just stared at each other until Nightwing was done his call.

"Robin, you should be in Gotham." No hi or any goofy remark that he was known for. The argument with Batman really got to him.

"You need me more than Gotham does." They way he said that struck at Nightwing's emotions and tugged on his heart. He did need someone, but he never truly thought that it would be Robin. Before either of them got to reply, they heard the police sirens. The police always acted faster when Nightwing called in something. "We should go."

Nightwing nodded then both males shot a line to the rooftop nearby and disappeared just as the cops were getting out of their cars. They didn't stop there, Robin just followed Nightwing's lead. Watching him move along the rooftops, the flips and jumps he would make, and all of the men he had just taken out, by himself, it was obvious that he hadn't lost his touch at all. If anything, during the seven years, he had gotten better. A lot better.

Nightwing slipped in through an open window with Robin following right after him. It was his old apartment. The heroes striped their masks and just stares into the others' eyes for a moment. They shared that moment. It was obvious they shared the same feelings for each other and they both were trying hard to fight it. Their bodies just moved closer to each other. They were about the same height, for now. Damian still had time to grow, no doubt will be as tall as his father.

Damian held onto the Nightwing suit, his blue eyes never break away. "Don't leave again." Was all he said softly before he pressed his lips to Dick's.

It had taken the older male by surprise but he soon relaxed into and kissed him back. It wasn't a crazy heated moment that's seen in the movies that over exaggerates love reunited. It was a soft, tender kiss full of longing and pain. The kiss let Dick know just how much Damian had missed him. That their time apart tore at him. And it tore at Dick knowing all of this.

Slowly, they pulled away from either other. Baby blue eyes meeting steel gray ones. "I'm not leaving again, Dami. I'm staying right here." Dick muttered softly and wrapped his arms around Damian. Unlike what he expected, Damian returned the hug and buried his face into Dick's shoulder.

"Good, because next time, I'll kill you instead of bring you back." Damian said into Dick's shoulder while fighting the tears that wanted to fall.

"Tell you what," Dick said, freely crying as he held Damian close. "If I do leave again, I'll bring you with me."

That what was all that was said that night. The males shared a few more gentle kisses before settling down on Dick's couch and just watch a random movie channel until they fell asleep right there. Damian laid in Dick's arms, his head resting on his chest, had fallen asleep to the sound of the heart beat thumping under his ear more so than the movie that was playing on the TV screen. He wasn't paying attention. Dick's chin rested on top of Damian's head, his eyes on the screen of the TV until they closed for sleep. Both prayed that when they woke that it all wasn't a dream. The sweet kisses and the silent admittance to their true feelings.


End file.
